Belarus interested in tighter cooperation with China Merchants Group in food export

28 May 2018

MINSK – Belarus is interested in cooperation with China Merchants Group with a view to exporting Belarusian meat and dairy products to China. Prime Minister of Belarus Andrei Kobyakov made the statement as he met with Fu Gangfeng, Director and President of China Merchants Group, on 28 May, BelTA has learned.

Andrei Kobyakov stated: “Belarus is interested in further advancing cooperation with China Merchants Group in the export of Belarusian meat and dairy products to China.”

When the Belarusian agriculture and food minister visited China in December 2017, China Merchants Group and a number of Belarusian companies signed the relevant paperwork. “I was told that Chinese partners are interested in increasing the volume of export of Belarusian meat and dairy products to China and intend to act as the importer and transporter of these products. The Belarusian government is also interested in increasing the deliveries of a broad choice of Belarusian foods to China and is ready to provide the necessary assistance with this matter,” noted the prime minister.

China Merchants Group is a founder of the joint venture in charge of developing the China-Belarus industrial park Great Stone and the park's largest investor. The construction of a modern logistics hub worth over $120 million on a tight schedule confirms the seriousness of the corporation's intention to further develop its operation in Belarus.

Andrei Kobyakov added: “We highly appreciate the achieved results of cooperation with the Chinese partners and are ready to develop them by all means. The government supports China Merchants Group's plans to establish a modern trade and expo center with the relevant infrastructure at premises of the exhibition center in the Great Stone park.”

The Belarusian government welcomes the fact that in 2017 the corporation established an industrial investment fund with the declared volume of investments at $575 million for supporting projects in Belarus. “We hope the fund will open an office in the industrial park soon and will start working hard,” noted the head of government.

In turn, Fu Gangfeng thanked Andrei Kobyakov for the meeting and for the opportunity to discuss topical aspects of bilateral cooperation.